Latch for automobile doors



Oct. 31, 1939. H. w. RIGHTMYER 2,178,530

LATCH FOR AUTOMOBILE DOORS Filed Aug. 17, 1938 l l l. [i l Patented Oct, 3l, i939 UNi'ihla PATE FFME

LATCH FOR AUTOMOBILE DOORS corporation of Ohio Application August 17, 1938, Serial No. 225,379

4 Claims.

This invention relates to door latches particularly designed for use on automobiles and similar vehicles and an object is to produce a simple and ecient door latch having the new and improved features of construction, arrangement and operation hereinafter described.

For purposes or" illustration, an embodiment of the invention is shown on the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a door latch and its keeper, portions oi the structure being broken away, such, for example, as the inside operated remote control unit;

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional elevation substantially on the line of Figure l;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary elevation of the outer end of the face plate showing the latch bolt structure, parts being broken away to show the latch supporting pivot pin;

Figure 4 isa transverse sectional view on the line 4-4 of Figure 3; and

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view on the line 5 5 of Figure 3.

The illustrated embodiment of the invention comprises a latch bolt having a main plate i@ which is mounted in any suitable manner on the door of the vehicle. The plate has an outwardly inclined face plate l l form-ed with an opening I2 to admit a ni-voted latch bolt i3 which,

as indicated in Figure 2, adapted to cooperate with a keeper lli suitably secured by screws l5 to the body structure lli of the vehicle. The keeper includes an outwardly extending ridge ll which is adapted to cooperate with the bolt i3 to provide the usual safety catch and spaced laterally from the ridge il and projecting a greater distance from the body structure l? is a ridge i8 with which the latch bolt i3 engages when the door I9 is in its completely closed condition. Only portions of the door it and body l are illustrated but will, be sufficient to illustrate the manner in which the parts are mounted in use.

The latch bolt i3 comprises a pair of side walls 2G and 2l, a curved keeper engaging wall 22 and a curved outer wall 23 which initially engages the keeper upon slamming of the door. The bolt i3 is pivotally mounted on a pin which extends through openings in the i ser end ci the bolt and 50 also through openings ic ned in laterally spaced ears 25 and which preferably struck out of the case plate il. The pin is formed at one end with a head 2l and ti opposite end of the pin is upset as indicated at a washer le being 55 interposed between the upset end and the adjacent ear 26. As shown particularly in Figures 4 and 5, the washer 29 and head 2l are generally annular in shape but each is formed with a flattened portion 3D which abuts against the face plate ll for convenience in assembly. Directly in 5 rear of the head 2l and washer 29 and forming a back therefor is an embossed portion 3l extending outwardly from the main plate it and positioned to absorb some of the shock imparted to the pin 24 by the latch bolt I3 during slamming 10 of the door or other actuation oi the latch bolt` Spaced outwardly from the pin 24 and extending through the side walls 2D and 2l of the latch bolt is a pin 32 having upset ends 33. The pin 32 engages in a groove 34 of a bolt plate extension 35 which extends inwardly and rearwardly as indicated in Figure 2 and has a strengthening rib 36. The extension 35 is integral with the bolt plate 3l which is mounted for sliding movements over the main plate it. A spiral spring 38 has 20 one end anchored to the main plate lil and the opposite end engaging an ear 39 struck out oi the bolt plate 31, the spring 38 urging the bolt plate 3l to the left of Figure l and yieldingly retaining the latch bolt i3 in its normal or projected latch- 25 ing position. Guiding of the bolt plate 3l is accomplished by a stud 4B which is secured to the main plate and has its shank disposed in a longitudinally elongate slot 15.-! formed in the bolt plate. The stud 'i0 cooperates with the slot ll in 30 limiting the movement of the bolt plate ill.

Disposed between the bolt plate 3l and the main plate Il] is a sector 42 which slidably engages the outwardly embossed portion i3 on the main plate I0. Projecting outwardly from the outer face of the sector 42 is a stud Ml which has limited movement within a cutout 45 of the bolt plate 3l which provides oppositely disposed shoulders it and fil. The lower end of the sector Il?, is formed with an 40 arcuate series of teeth 48 which mesh with rack teeth 4s formed on a slide plate 59. The slide plate 5 has a longitudinally elongate slot El in which the shank ci a stud 52 secured to the main plate l0, is disposed, a spring washer 53 being 45 disposed between the head of the stud 52 and the plate 5D for preventing rattling of the parts. Pivotally connected to the outer end of the slide plate 56 is a link 53 which extends to asuitable rernote control mechanism (not shown) disposed on the inside of the door and having the usual operating handle for retracting the latch bolt and for actuating the slide 50 to dog or block movement of the outside operated handle as will hereinafter appear. 55

Formed on the forward end of the slide plate 5B is a linger 54 which is movable into a position beneath an arm 55 ot the outside operated roll back 5E which is formed with a squared opening 51 to receive a handle shaft (not shown) equipped with an operating handle arranged on the outside of the door as will be readily understood.

The roll back 5G has a retracting arm 58 which is engageable with a flange 59 on the bolt plate 3l so that upon clockwise rotation (Figure l) of the roll back, the bolt plate 3l is moved to the right of the ligure thereby retracting the pivoted latch bolt i3 as will be readily understood. The detail construction of the roll back 56 is wellknown to those skilled in this art and since it forms no part of the present invention, detail `olescription and illustration is not considered necessary. A spiral spring 6i] mounted on the main plate ID engages the roll back for `holding the parts thereof in the desired position and eliminating rattles.

In order to cushion the movement of the latch bolt I3 to latching position, a 'Flange El projects laterally from the side wall 2i of the latch bolt. The inner face of the flange Eil is adapted to engage a rubber bumper @il which is mounted on the face plate Il. As shown on Figure 3, a notch 63 projects from the opening i2 in the face plate l i to enable mounting of the bumper which is made up of the body portion 62, reduced neck till and an outer annular head 65. In mounting the bumper, the neck 64 is forced into the notch S3, the head G5 being disposed on the outer side of the face plate and the main cushioning body il?. on the inside of the face plate.

In the operation of the above described latch, it will be apparent that the latch bolt can be retracted from the outside of the door by operation of the roll back 5@ by rotating the latter so that the arm 58 engaging against the shoulder or flange 59 forces the bolt plate 3l to the right of Figure l against the force of the spring 38 and thereby causing the ch bolt to rock upon its pivot pin 24 through the connections described. In order to retract the latch bolt from the inside of the door, the link 53 is moved to the right of Figure l thereby causing the slide 5l! to rock the sector l2 in a countercloelnvise direction, the stud d4 engaging the shoulder il of the bolt plate 3l and thereby retracting the bolt.

When it desired to dog the outside operated roll back 56, the link 55.3 is moved in a non-bolt retracting direction or to the left of Figure l thereby moving the nger 5d beneath the arm 55 of the roll back and accordingly blocking movement of the latter. When the roll back is dogged, the stud M is disposed in abutting relation to the shoulder in the bolt plate so that upon slamming of the door, the shoulder 46 moving with the bolt plate 3l to the right of Figure l, rocks the sector 42 in a counterclockwise direction thereby moving the slide plate to the right of the ligure and accordingly moving the linger 54 away from the roll back. It will thus be apparent that slam unlocking is obtained.

It is to be understood that numerous changes in details of cross construction, arrangement and operation my be effected without departing from the spirit of the invention especially as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim isi 1. A vehicle door latch comprising a spring tensioned latch bolt, an outside operated retractor for said bolt, and an inside operated retractor for said bolt including an arm pivoted at one end, a longitudinally slidable plate, means on said plate for dogging said outside retractor upon movement in one direction, gear teeth providing a connection between the other end of said arm and plate causing conjoint movement thereof, and a lateral projection on said arm engageable with the bolt to retract same and disposable in the path of movement of the bolt when in dogging position, thereby to provide for slam undogging.

2. A vehicle door latch comprising a spring tensioned latch bolt, an outside operated reractor for said bolt, and an inside operated retractor for said bolt including an arm pivoted at' one end, a stud providing the pivot for said arm also serving as a guide for said latch bolt, a longitudinally slidable plate, means on said plate for clogging said outside retractor upon movement in one direction, a positive connection between the other end of said arm and plate causing conjoint movement thereof, and a lateral projection on said arm engageable with the 1bolt to retract same and movable into the path of movement oi' the bolt when in clogging position, thereby to provide for slam undogging.

3. A vehicle door latch comprising a spring tensioned latch bolt, said latch bolt including a slidable bolt plate and a pivoted bolt nose actuated in response to sliding movement of said plate, an outside operated retractor for said bolt, and an inside operated retractor for said bolt including an arm pivoted at one end, a longitudinally slidable plate, means on said plate for dogging said outside retractor upon movement in one direction, a positive connection between the other end of said arm and plate causing conjoint movement thereof, and a lateral projection on said arm engageable with the bolt to retract same and movable into the path of movement of the bolt when in dogging position, thereby to provide for slain undogging.

4. A vehicle door latch comprising a spring tensioned latch bolt, an outside operated retractor for said bolt, and an inside operated retractor for said bolt including an arm pivoted at one end, a stud providing the pivot for said arm` also serving as a guide for said latch bolt, said bolt having a cut o-ut portion providing opposed shoulders, a longitudinally slidable plate, means on said plate for clogging said outside retractor upon movement in one direction, gear teeth on said arm and plate respectively and in mesh with each other for causing conjoint movement thereof, and a pin on said arm extending into said out out portion to cooperate with said shoulders, whereby upon movement ci said plate to dogging position said pin is disposed adjacent one shoulder for cooperation therewith to eiect slam undogging when the latch bolt is retracted and said pin cooperates with the other shoulder for retracting the bolt by movement oi said plate away from dogging position.

HOLDEN W. RIGHTMYER. 

